Immersed in a new world at boarding school, Addy Buckley learns she’s not the only one with secrets. While trying to navigate the minefield of painful lies that seem to be rattling around her family’s past, she meets soft on the eyes and heavy on the heart, Napoleon Blake.

When faced with the darkness, Addy must decide to cling to her new life and friends or let the monster carry her away. The choice is hers, sink or swim.

EXCERPT

I smile at the sincerity in his voice. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you for keeping the ghosts away. ”He’s no longer looking at me. Instead he watches our friends leap into the air, laughing and screaming as they chase the fluttering glow bugs.

I think about his words. That’s exactly what he has done for me … keep the ghosts away.

I lay down in the tall grass, my head tilted to the night sky, the moon full over our heads.

“Alrighty,” he says, filling the void next to me. “What are we doing?”

“Watching.”

“For?” he asks.

“God.”

His hand seeks mine through the blades of grass, our palms flat against one another’s. My heart starts to race. I’m listening to the song of the crickets mixed with our friend’s laughter, and in that moment I want nothing more than to crash into Leo and make the world stop turning. Instead, I settle for the moment, touching a friend’s hand, quietly keeping the ghosts at bay for one another.

“Do you think he’s there?” he asks.

“Who?” I forget what we’re talking about, distracted by his touch.

He doesn’t move his hand away. “God.”

I swallow. I’ve wondered that a lot, especially as a little girl, on those nights that Daddy would visit my room. “I don’t know,” I answer in barely a whisper.

“It’s a nice thought.”

“What is?”

“The whole heaven thing. That people are waiting for us,” he says.

“I guess.”

“What? You don’t believe in heaven?”

“I don’t know,” I say again honestly. “If that’s all real, it just seems hard to swallow.”

“What does?”

“Suffering,” I reply.

He’s quiet, and I wish I hadn’t rained on the moment. “Yeah, it is.”

I want to tell him I hope there’s a heaven because he deserves to see his brother again. I want to tell him that I hope hell exists because people like my father deserve to go there. I want to tell him that through all the bull, I still have hope it’s all real and this being is out there, loving me with all the blemishes others have placed onto me. But instead I lay there, content with the touch of his hand.

Interviewer: I’m sure a lot of our readers would love to know how a day in the life of Napoleon Blake looks. Are you an early riser?

NB: *laughs. You know what they say, early to bed, early to rise makes people suspicious.

Interviewer: Okay, so not an early bird. How do you like to spend your free time?

NB: Well there’s how I like spending my free time and how I actually do.

Interviewer: Meaning?

NB: Like most red blooded american teenage boys I’d like to spend all my time having sex.

Interviewer: With?

NB: Again, like most, any willing participant would be considered. But of course when I am not thinking about the obvious, I’m out riding my skateboard or hiking. Oh, and then of course movies, I’m always consuming quality films.

Interviewer: Speaking of films, I hear you’re a bit of a movie buff.

NB: Some might say that.

Interviewer: What are some of your favorite films?

NB: I really hate that question. It’s like asking someone which kid is their favorite.

Interviewer: Isn’t that usually what people say about something they’ve created.

NB: Well it remains true for this to. How can you compare the comedic genius of Airplane to the emotional toll of E.T.

Interviewer: Do you only watch older movies?

NB: Of course not, it’s just ... something resonates with me in their scripts. A lot of people think they’re cheesy in the way that everyone works together to reach a common goal or happy ending, I find it admirable and something we should embrace.

Interviewer: Is there one incident that shaped your life?

NB: *swallows hard. My brother’s death. It made me realize what happens to the people who are left behind after you’re gone. I made the decision I would live the truest and fullest life I could.

Interviewer: Is there one person who always makes you smile?

NB: Well I’m a pretty funny looking guy so whenever I look in the mirror, I tend to laugh.

Interviewer: I doubt much of our female audience would agree with that statement.

NB: Seriously though? I surround myself with friends who make me smile. I can always count on Miyagi for a laugh. I never know what will come out of Julia’s mouth. But if there is one person I had to pick that I would drop everything to hang out with, it would have to be Addy. My head is always spinning with thoughts and ideas, but somehow, when I’m with her it brings me a calm.

Interviewer: Thanks for spending a few minutes with us to answer some questions.

NB: Thanks for getting me out of class for it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

YA is published under Wendy L OwensAdult and NA is published under Wendy Owens

Wendy Owens is a writer, born in the small college town, Oxford Ohio. After attending Miami University, Wendy went onto a career in the visual arts. After several years of creating and selling her own artwork she gave her first love, writing, a try. It’s become a passion ever since. Wendy now happily spends her days writing the stories her characters guide her to tell, admitting even she doesn’t always know where that might lead. Her first series, The Guardians, is a YA fantasy series about angel and human hybrids.

Since then she has branched into NA Contemporary Romance and released titles to include Stubborn Love, Only In Dreams, and Do Anything. Her next romance, The Luckiest is scheduled to be released in July 2014.When she’s not writing, this dog lover can be found spending time with her tech geek husband, their three amazing kids, and two pups. She loves to cook and is a film fanatic.

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About Me

I live in beautiful Durban, South Africa. My love for writing started in the 5th grade but I've only now had the time and patience to complete my first novel. I wish to continue for many years, even when I have retired to a tiny lake-side cottage in the mountains somewhere :)